The Pursuit of Peace

We hear much about world peace, don’t we? Every night the cable news shows are littered with those who would offer recommendations on how to bring peace to the conflicts on the Earth. We have lucrative prizes awarded to those who put forth effort toward and ideas on peace. And don’t forget, world peace is what most beauty queens want to bring to the universe.

But what is the best definition we can come to in regard to peace? For many, it is the absence of war. But how is that to be achieved? “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace,” said our first President, George Washington. While that may be true from a military standpoint, is it really true peace?

Real peace is not simply the lack of aggression toward another, but the ongoing act of showing kindness to others. It is making sacrifices of one’s self for the betterment of others. Whether we are speaking on the scale of nations, human relationships or humanity’s relationship with God we know a life of peace is not the typical experience of humans. It just seems out of our reach.

The question to ask here is why. The most honest answer is a fairly obvious one though it may be difficult for us to admit. We lack peace because we are usually more concerned with self than we are about others. Whether on an interpersonal level, a national level, or in your relationship with your Creator we are all centered upon self unless outside action is done to redirect our hearts. Therefore, a life of peace must be aided by the power of God.

Jesus Christ is called the Prince of Peace in the Bible. He is the One who is able to bring real change to our hearts so that we will both desire and pursue a relationship with God and peace with others. According to the Bible, there is no other path and there are no substitutes.